Making the Most of WORKFORCE as a Student Org Member

Tuesday, February 21 2017 from 3-7pm at State Fair Grounds in West Allis

What to expect at the Career Fair• 188 employers: 121 corporate, 38 government/non profit, 12 grad schools represented at various booths

• Sign in/Register at entrance of Expo Center from 3-7pm• Check your coat!• Booths are located inside The Expo Center

• Crowds – be patient and observe• All WI Private College Students

• A lot of background noise with which you’ll have to compete

• All employers expect questions about their companies and jobs/internships• But NOT obvious questions who’s answers can be found online, etc.

• Employers have different agendas: • some may be recruiting for open positions• others encourage you to apply online• others will conduct brief screens of your qualifications to determine if they want to schedule an interview• others might just be gathering notes and not hiring immediately 

Have a Game Plan

• Prioritize organizations Have a list of your “most important” companies Have a list of your “if I have time” companies Tip: If nervous, visit a booth of “un-interest” first

• Map out the event:Get a copy of the floor plan, circle & number the booths you want

to visit Come early to avoid long lines

Allow enough time, arrive early if possibleExpect less time if you arrive towards the end

Most employers will be packed up and leave the fair at 7pm

List of Employers and Floor plan can be found: www.mtmary.edu/careerdev

Research Organization(s) in Advance

• Review web sites and LinkedIn of companies you are interested in• This will help you structure your resume• This will help you develop your 30 sec elevator pitch• This will help you plan your questions

• Think of questions in advance • Have 3 prepared for each company

Dress at WORKFORCE is PROFESSIONAL:

Business Suit (clean, pressed, tucked in): Trousers, pencil skirts, blouses, button down shirts, etc.

Conservative colors (navy, gray, black) and classic fabric patterns make the best choices

Shoes: low/medium heels or flats, closed toe

Hair: Clean and styled, off your face

Avoid accessories, heavy perfume, and too much make up or minimal jewelry

Resumes• Bring enough copies for each employer you want to visit + a few extra• Resume Sections:

• Summary of Qualifications/Professional Profile• Includes most important stuff, hooks the reader, bullet points or paragraph

• Education• Includes degree, GPA if above 3.0, Relevant coursework, Study Abroad, Research experience, Scholarships (Caroline, Grace, Promise)

• Experience (Reverse Chronological Order)• Includes paid and unpaid experiences, connects responsibilities to job description, bullet points are action oriented and

intent/outcome or accomplishment based

OR• Skill Sections (Functional)

• Highlights skills in bullet point fashion, does not draw attention to previous companies and job titles

• Campus Involvement/Student Organizations/Extracurricular Activities• Includes your involvement outside of the classroom, usually on a volunteer basis

• Not all employers will take them• Have your resume reviewed by a career counselor in the student success center

• Jena Mahne: mahnej@mtmary.edu• Kirsten Wright: wrightk@mtmary.edu

Why Mention your Student Org Involvement to Employers?

• Incorporating your extracurricular activities into a resume (and Elevator Pitch ) will complement and highlight skills you may not be able to clearly communicate from other roles or lack of experience• Multiple years of membership and leadership in a student organization

demonstrate consistency and a willingness to take on responsibility.• How? …For Example:

• Being the captain of your college sports team show employers that you have leadership qualities, dedication and a strong work ethic.

• Organizing a food drive show you have organizational and project management skills.• Clubs that feature recreational activities help develop communication and interpersonal skills as well

as leadership roles and need someone to manage budgets and schedules — all vital skills for business success.

• Professional clubs such as Arches works with students to help publish their material and obtain real-world experience in public relations.

Begin Structuring Your Resume with…

Common skills gained from involvement in student organizations:• Time management • Project management• Leadership • Problem-solving• Organization • Book-keeping / budget• Interpersonal skills • Communication skills• Experience in an office setting • Writing and reporting skills

• Action Verbs used to describe involvement in student organizations:• Adapted • Assembled • Collaborated• Defined • Directed • Enabled• Encouraged • Facilitated • Guided• Increased • Informed • Mediated• Organized • Participated • Prepared• Presented • Promoted • Publicized• Recorded • Realized • Represented

Common Resume Phrases • Led monthly all-group meetings, and bi-weekly leadership meetings• Instituted new marketing plan to overhaul recruitment practices resulting in 45% increase in

membership• Assisted in developing strategic plan which included, ______, ______, and ______• During two year tenure, increased member participation in ____ by ____%• Mediated member disagreements, particularly related to allocation of funds• Represented group on various campus-wide committees to advocate for ______ issues• Communicated regularly with other student organizations, administrative offices, faculty and

community members• Recognized as an approachable, fair, professional leader• Coordinated logistics for annual student conference in _________• Acted as emcee for ____ fundraiser which raised over $____ for ______• Generated discussion topics for weekly brown bag lunch series• Identified and secured speakers for _______ event• Revitalized group’s social media presence, including the addition of Twitter and YouTube, leading

to improved member involvement

Where to Showcase Student Organization Involvement on Resume

Campus Involvement?

Education?

Professional Experience?

Student Organizations?

Volunteer?

Activities?

Relevant Experience?

EDUCATIONMount Mary University – Milwaukee, WI Anticipated May 2006Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English, GPA: 3.5/4.o

Activities:Member of Student Leader Board Presidential Search CommitteeEditor-in-Chief of student newspaper: ArchesAlpha Tau Omega – Public Relations Chair and Secretary

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCESOAR Leader; Mount Mary University Oct 2015-present•Create and execute at least three campus events per semester including tabling opportunities to recruit members, a panel discussion on women in leadership roles, and assist in implementing new student orientation•Coordinate and conduct biweekly meetings with SOAR leadership on issues concerning women’s equity and advancement•Address the needs and concerns of more than 50 organization members

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONSMount Mary Dance Association, Milwaukee, WIFounder, President Aug 2014-June 2015•Was selected from a rigorous application process to serve with nine other women leaders nationwide as a student ambassador for the MMU Dance Associate on Mount Mary’s campus•Marketed association seasonal performances on campus through two social media campaigns and several tabling events and poster campaigns•Conceptualized, organized, and executed a two-day leadership conference at MMU for 75 Catonsville Middle School women students on how to express themselves creatively through dance

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENTEditor-in-Chief, Arches, Mount Mary University, Spring 2013•Worked as part of a 10-person team on a publication that combatted STEM-based gender stereotypes on college campuses by identifying problematic language•Designed a social media campaign spanning Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter that generated more than 200 likes and 600 shares•Presented the creation, design, execution, and results of the team’s publication at the National Conference for Young Women Writers

Greeting RecruitersHandshake

Close talking, Low talking, Eye contact, Smile

Interacting with Employers• Reveal information in a give-and-take fashion: Identify employers needs, then match your interests and skills to those needs• Be prepared to answer questions about yourself

• Build a connection!• If anything, this is a

networking opportunity

• Ask questions to find out what you want to know about how you can be considered in the future, what the hiring process is like, get more information• Ask for business cards if you’re interested and follow up• Pick up company literature and swag

Know What to Say (Elevator Pitch)Prepare a 30 Second Elevator Pitch:Who are you? What can you do? What are you looking for?

Your Pitch Should:• Be specific• Appeal to the company and role in which you’re interested• Be conversational and natural, memorize your lines but don’t sound rehearsed• Be enthusiastic

Preparing Your Pitch:• Consider how your education, work experience, and personality characteristics would add value to an organization• Outline key points you want to touch on• Make a short list of statements about your accomplishments (school, volunteering, internships, work, etc.) as well as

other relevant skills and personal attributes• Make sure your statements tell a cohesive story and keep editing until you feel confident that your pitch flows nicely

Building Your Pitch• Begin with an introduction- don’t forget to give your name!• Talk about your education- what year, major(s)• Share your experiences (internship, work, student org) in a clear manner• Discuss other skills, knowledge, and leadership activities• Tell them what you’re looking for from this pitch- informational interview, interview for internship or job opportunity

and/or what you would like to happen next by putting this in the form of a question is the most effective

Have Questions to Ask EmployersUNLESS A 1ST YEAR STUDENT…

DO NOT ASK BASIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BY RESEARCHING THE COMPANY!

Hiring needs:• What are the particular needs of your company at this point in time?• Do you offer internships or part-time positions to help people gain career-related skills?• Although your organization does not currently have an internship program, would you consider developing an internship

for someone with my skills and educational background?• What entry level positions do you typically have available?

Requirements:• What type of educational background do you look for in qualified candidates?• What types of experiences and skills should candidates have for positions in _________?• What are the characteristics of your most successful employees?• What skills do you find most marketable in your industry today?

Application and hiring process questions:• Could you please describe the hiring process for your organization and how long it might take?• Does your company only hire at certain times of the year or on an ongoing basis?• What is the most effective way to learn about and apply for positions with your organization?• Have you hired past interns for full time, permanent positions?

How the Conversation Might Go...

Hello, my name is Jennifer Santos. I’m a Jr at MMU studying Business Administration

with a concentration in International Business. I was really excited to get the

chance to speak with you here at “Company X” because I know you have a great

reputation for collaborating with companies in South America. Given my leadership

experience as VP of HPGM and my love for my culture, the type of work your company

does is really intriguing to me.

Well, we’re very happy you stopped by to speak with

us Jennifer. What were some of the things you

wanted to know?

Well, I was wondering what types of skills and abilities your company looks for in

potential employees? I was also hoping you might know

of any internship opportunity within your company as it

would be an amazing experience to be a part of

your team.

I’d be happy to answer those

questions for you, Jennifer…

Record Information & Follow up!• Take notes during and after each stop at the fair• their answers to your questions, especially if it is something you want to follow up

on• include what you talked about • include company’s follow-up plans• names of representatives, what made the meeting with them unique

• Employers are expecting you to follow up if interested so show it!• Write a follow-up email as soon as possible expressing interest and thanking them for their time• attach resume • attach anything else that might be of interest

• Foster the relationship